49ers report card: Was this defense’s outlier or more woes to come?

SANTA CLARA – Here is how the 49ers (3-4) graded in their 44-23 loss to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs (5-2):

PASS OFFENSE: C-

The overall stats reflect a decent day, but Jimmy Garoppolo was under pressure to the tune of five sacks, one of which resulted in a safety amid the 49ers’ fourth-quarter fade. Garoppolo passed for 303 yards, but he had an ill-conceived lob yield a goal-line interception in a game the 49ers could not afford to throw away any possessions, much less a gifted one like that. George Kittle’s fourth-quarter touchdown catch highlighted his six-catch, 98-yard effort – the same catch totals, minus the touchdown, by the Chiefs’ Travis Kelce on National Tight Ends Day. Danny Gray remains in search of his first NFL catch after another fruitless deep route. Ray-Ray McCloud made a nice touchdown catch on a Garoppolo rollout.

RUN OFFENSE: C-

Christian McCaffrey reeled off runs of 10 and 9 yards on his first two carries – on his first-ever 49ers’ drive – but ended with just 38 yards on eight total carries. In possibly his final start now that McCaffrey is here, Jeff Wilson Jr. had 54 yards (seven carries). None of their 21 rushes ended in the end zone, and although they produced 101 yards and a 4.8-yard average, the 49ers simply couldn’t rely more on their rushing attack in another game of catch-up.

PASS DEFENSE: F

Patrick Mahomes passed for 423 yards and three touchdowns, which was surprising only that it came against a defense that allowed only four touchdown passes all season. The 49ers couldn’t get to Mahomes, with Bosa often drawing double-team blocks except on his fourth-quarter sack. Nothing seemed more reminiscent of the 2019 49ers’ Super Bowl collapse than another fourth-quarter bomb by Mahomes, and that 57-yard hookup with Marquez Valdes-Scantiling came just after the 49ers pulled within 28-23. The only play made by the 49ers’ secondary was on the first drive, when Talanoa Hufanga intercepted a third-down pass tipped by Tashaun Gipson Sr. One play that exemplified Mahomes’ magic: Drake Jackson nearly dropped him for an 18-yard sack, only for Mahomes to find Kelce for a midfield completion.

RUN DEFENSE: F

This is not a great trend, not after how the Falcons bullied them and the Chiefs raced past them. This game brought three touchdown runs allowed by a defense that yielded only four all season. More alarming was how easy those runs looked, starting with Mecole Hardman’s 25-yard sideline scamper that put the Chiefs in front, for good. “We made some mistakes, including myself, in the first half that allowed them to stay on the field,” Bosa said. “When you don’t force them to get into passing situation, you let them fall forward to get 5-yard runs, you’re never in the position you want to be in.” Bosa said the onus this game was on the defensive line to stop the run, in order to help a secondary sure to be tested by Mahomes’ arm. Everyone failed, and the 49ers really aren’t getting the blockade needed from their front.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C-

Allowing a 48-yard kick return was a horrendous way to start the second half, and then Jauan Jennings’ late hit made that play even worse. Robbie Gould made all three of his field goals, and he should have had a shot at a 51-yarder if not for Jaylon Moore’s false-start penalty that instead summoned Mitch Wishnowsky for his lone punt. Sam Womack III recovered a fumble on the ensuing muffed return by Skyy Moore, but the 49ers offense couldn’t convert as Garoppolo responded with a goal-line interception.

COACHING: D+

Scoring only 23 points will get you beat in an expected shootout. So, who’s to blame? Kyle Shanahan, after each loss this season, points to how the 49ers were doomed by self-inflicted wounds, and that is partly true this game. But DeMeco Ryans’ defense did not show up against its toughest test yet, leaving far too much space for receivers and rushers, and not peppering Mahomes enough while Bosa fought double teams. Next up: A chance to rebound against the Rams, who’ve lost the past seven regular-season meetings.